Social media friends, the Bedroom Bar and being a mistress

So… three years of hardish work, concentrating, analysing, a hell of a lot of reading and yellow highlighting – and finally I’ve graduated with my Masters Degree! Someone asked whether they should call me Master now – of course not, I’m a woman!! Mistress…?? I know that makes some of you laugh. (Not Steven.)

The ceremony was so well organised and smooth running and it was really a lovely day. Last time, my BSc was presented by the award winning film producer Lord David Puttnam, Chancellor of the Open University. And the honorary degree went up Ray Mears who I’d never heard of, but have since noticed on TV canoeing up filthy rivers chasing crocodiles. Also that day, Lenny Henry queued up behind me to collect his degree – and walked across the stage to ear-splitting cheers and booming clapping. This time, there were no famous people to brag about, but my turquoise robe was a better colour!

All this prompted me to post in the Facebook group which had kept me motivated through my final year. It demonstrates the strength of social media as a tool for engaging in activities outside the contexts of simply work or fun – although, I have to say, the group became good fun and it’s been nice to chat to everyone again this week.

It’s been a week for catching up with old friends! I spent Wednesday at the British Library with Danny talking about social media marketing and business development. I loved the library!! Can’t imagine why I’d never been there before – business, lunch and history is one of my favourite combinations for a day in London. Before I left I stuck my details up on a skills swap wall – where, incidentally, I noticed Jilly’s card – someone I met through networking and may be collaborating with soon. So if you were wondering whether people actually look at the cards on these walls – yes they do!

Then on Thursday night my super talented nephew Jack played songs from his EP at Hoxton’s trendy Bedroom Bar. He’s touring the UK with his musical partner Chris and a very large Double Bass, although he’s still best known for supporting James Morrison in Truro last year.

And speaking of bedrooms, massive huge enormous thanks to my Twitter friend Marc of @VerticeDM who is a wonderful quantity surveyor and rushed round to help when I found a crack in my wall and thought my house was falling down. Problem not yet resolved, so if you hear of a social media consultant found buried with cat on lap below a collection of antique silver mirrors, several hundred 80’s 12″ vinyls and a doll’s house – it is me!

It has been said that these lyrics could be about me, and I quite like that: “She can do as she pleases, she’s nobody’s fool… And she can’t be convicted, she’s earned her degree, and the most she will do is throw shadows at you…” Well actually, I can do much more than throw shadows – I can throw you some social media training or, in a couple of weeks, plain English training – only a couple of Early Bird places left, so click here to book. Until then, follow me here, as always: @WeekendWitch.

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